The current fire regime in northern Andean shrublands hinders tree recruitment and arrests forest succession

Seasonal Effects of Wildfires on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil in Andean Grassland Ecosystems in Cusco, Peru: Pending Challenges

“…The tropical Andean plant diversity is remarkably vast, and their habitat types are interconnected [3,4]. Grassland and shrubland communities at high elevations predominate in the Andean mountains [5,6]. The high Andean grasslands represent distinct ecosystems characterized by their high biodiversity and essential provision of ecosystem services [7].…”

“…Grasslands play a vital role in livestock production as an economic activity in Peru, where there is the world's largest population of Alpacas, with around 4.5 million, comprising about 85% of the total population [16]. However, fire activity in the context of climate change could limit vegetation succession by influencing the compositions of plant communities and soil properties [6,17].…”

Postfire resprouting and recruitment of Quercus humboldtii in the Iguaque Mountains (Colombia)

“…In the Iguaque Mountains (Colombia), previous studies revealed that wildfire frequency had increased recently, burning patch forests 3 to 7 times in the last 30 years (Aguilar-Garavito et al, 2020). Wildfires affect both successional vegetation and oak forest remnants hindering tree recruitment and arresting forest succession (Aguilar-Garavito and Cortina-Segarra, 2023). In addition, invasive species such as Pteridium aquilinum (L) Kuhn.…”